all-or-none

American  

[awl-er-nuhn] / ˈɔl ərˈnʌn /

adjective

1. relating to a situation where agreement, participation, etc., must be taken in its entirety or not considered at all; all-or-nothing.

2. Physiology. relating to a process that happens either to the greatest possible extent or not at all.

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all-or-none Scientific  

/ ôl′ər-nŭn′ /

1. Characterized by either a complete response or by a total lack of response or effect, depending on the strength of the stimulus. Neurons have an all-or-none response to impulse transmission and cannot be partially stimulated.

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Example Sentences

“People were saying omicron seemed to be milder than delta, and I think that’s because it was less likely to involve the lung, but it’s not an all-or-none thing,” Kline added.

From Washington Post • Mar. 16, 2022

"It's not an all-or-none situation," he added, "so establishing a true cause and effect is a challenge that we don't have the evidence for."

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2021

If you've ever failed before with an all-or-none approach, please try this!

From US News • Jun. 17, 2015

Electoral votes from most States are all-or-none in Presidential elections.

From New York Times • Jan. 30, 2015

As soon as you add an intensifier, you’re turning an all-or-none dichotomy into a graduated scale.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker